Improvement in knitting-machine needles



C. H. PLATT & G. A. STANBERY.

Knitting Machine Needles.

Patented Feb- 25,1873.

Wziizemey.

AM PHOTO-LITHOGRAPH/C ca w(osaams.'s Pnacssg) urrnn STATES PATENT fOrrrcn.

CORWIN H. PLATT AND GEORGE A. STANBERY, OF NORWALK, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT lN KNITTING-MACHINE NEEDLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CORWIN H. PLATT and GEORGE A. STANBERY, of Norwalk, in the county of Enron and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knitting Hooks or Needles and Knitting- Oomb Combined; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, that will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Nature and Objects of the Invent-ion.

- ()ur invention relates to improvements in the construction and operation of the needles or knitting-hooks and other devices used for forming and completing the stitches of knitted fabrics. Our invention consists, first, in the combination of a needle having a reciprocating motion, and constructed, substantially as hereinafter described, so as to remove the loop from the stripper, with an independent stationary or fixed stripper or comb-tooth, whereby a completed stitch is produced, and a new loop formed at each vibration or reciprocation of the needle without the aid of latches, reciprocating teeth or strippers, or other mechanical device operated by complicated mechanisms, as heretofore; secondly, in the peculiar construction or form given to the point of the needle, whereby the completed stitch is transferred from the stripper or tooth to the web, and the new-formed loop placed in position to be transferred from the needle to the stripper by the forward passage of the needle, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of a knitting comb, showing the fixed or stationary combteeth or strippers secured therein, and their corresponding needles, some of which are shown thrown back, and some in their normal position, thrown forward. Fig. 2 is a detached view of one of the needles, showing its pecul iarities of construction.

B represents the knitting-comb bar, which may be of any desired length and straight in form, as shown, or it may be circular or of any form found convenient or desirable. b b are the comb-teeth or strippers, which may also be arranged in any suitable form, to correspond with the shape of the comb-bar, and

made tapering from the shoulder to the point.

They are'firmly secured to the comb-bar at regular distances apart, in any convenient manner, and so that they may be removed therefrom, if desired, or they may be formed as a part of the comb-bar itself. B represents the needle-bearing plate, which may be of any desired form corresponding to the form of the comb. grooves corresponding to the teeth of the comb. These grooves form the guide-ways and bearing of the needles, and through which they are made to reciprocate back and forth by any suitable mechanism. A represents our improved needle. As shown by Fig. 2, the point 0 forms a right angle with the flat upper side, and is gradually rounded away at or toward the under side. d is a notch, cut in the upper side of the needle, commencing a sufficient distance back from the-point. e e is a groove formed longitudinally along the upper side of the needle, of greater depth than the depth of the notch d. This groove also runs through the flat upper surface of the point 0, and may be made to extend rearwardly the full length of the needle, as de sired.

We will now proceed to describe the formation and completion of a single stitch of knitting, which will fully illustrate our invention. In starting, the operator first throws a loop of the yarn on the end of the needle, and presses it back until it rests in the notch cl, the end of the yarn downward. Any number of continuous loops may be thus formed, one on each needle, according to the width of the web to be knitted, the end of the yarn being secured to the needle on which the last loop of the series is formed. The yarn-carrier then lays the yarn in the hook of the first needle, when the machine is ready for knitting. When set in motion the needle is drawn backward, throwing the loop first set up and left in the notch, onto the comb-tooth or stripper, Where it'is retained until the needle, continuing in its backward course, draws the yarn through it, thereby forming a new loop. When the needle is thrown forward, its fiat angular It is cut laterally with a series of point removes the first-formed loop from the (-ombtootli, and, by means of the rounded under surface of the point, the loop passes easily under the needle to form the web. In this way the first stitch is completed, while the needle, continuing in its forward course, places the second loop inthe notch d where it rests until the needle is again operated in its turn. From this, it will be obvious that one stitch is completed and a new loop formed and placed in the notch by one reciprocation or passage of the needle back and forth.

The length of the loop is determined by the distance which the needle travels back of the end or shoulder of the comb-tooth, and by adjusting this distance, or the length of the backward stroke of the needle, the web may be made close or loose, as desired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, is-

1. As an improvement in knitting machines,

a reciprocating needle, constructed substan- OORWIN H. PLATT. [L. s.]

GEORGE A.v STANBERY. L. si]

Witnesses A. B. GRIFFIN.

J. A. WILLIAMSON. 

